Communism? Will it be here Jan. 2009?

Obama Denounces Wright

A day after Jeremiah Wright's grandstanding at the National Press Club, Barack Obama says the man he saw yesterday is not the same man he met 20 years ago, and expresses his condemnation of the divisive comments made by Wright.

VA Reaches Out to OIF and OEF Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs will begin contacting nearly 570,000 recent combat veterans May 1 to ensure they know about VA's medical services and other benefits.

"We will reach out and touch every veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom to let them know we are here for them," said Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr. James B. Peake, a retired lieutenant general who served as Army surgeon general. "VA is committed to getting these veterans the help they need and deserve."

Real Change?

Can Mantras Help PTSD?

ScienceDaily reports that repeating mantras can help control the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, have a calming effect in traffic and even ease the boredom of exercise, according to a study in the latest issue of Journal of Advanced Nursing.

Eighty-three per cent (83%) of veterans and hospital staff . . . .

"Repeating the mantra seemed to stop post-traumatic stress disorder-type dreams that had occurred for 10 to 11 years" said a former veteran . . . .

Hamas Likes Obama

Hamas has stated it hopes Obama wins the Presidential election in November. Could this, combined with the support of former President Jimmy Carter, be the beginning of the end for Obama? It certainly should be.

Is Barack Wright?

Do the fiery words of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright reflect the beliefs of Senator (and Presidential hopeful) Barack Obama? If not, why has Obama not been more outspoken against them? And why would he want Wright's message of hate taught to his young children?

New School Prayer

Here's an interesting commentary on the movement to keep God out of our schools. This is a new school prayer, allegedly written by a 15-year-old Arizona student, since the Pledge of Allegiance and the Lord's Prayer are no longer politically correct in our schools. We think you'll like it . . .

Freedom Feels Good

By Sgt. Eddie Jeffers, US Army

"Everyday, I live, I breathe, and I think Iraq.

It is my life . . . more so than many of the so called experts who rant and rave about it. I walk these streets, I trudge through this darkness that so much of my life has seemed to become. And I am frustrated. It is hard to battle on the behalf of the ungrateful. . . ."

Hope Rides Alone

In a voice eloquent beyond his years, Sgt. Eddie Jeffers, US Army, writes about the mission in Iraq, and the good he believes is being accomplished there. He also expresses disappointment in those who criticize our President, our military, and our country, when they don't know what they're talking about because they haven't been there.

Sgt. Jeffers was killed in Ramadi on September 19, 2007, at age 23. We pay tribute to him, and the thousands like him, in the only way we can, by keeping his voice alive and spreading his message.

We hope you'll spread his message, too, so that Hope never has to ride alone. Please click the permalink below to read Sgt. Jeffers' words.

Tax Day Humor

Here's a timely piece from our inbox:

How to Use Your IRS Rebate Check

"As you know, many of us will get a rebate check to stimulate the economy.

If we spend that money at Wal-Mart, the money will go to China. If we spend it on gasoline it will go to the Arabs; if we purchase a computer it will go to India; if we purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala; if we purchase a good car, it will go to Japan or Germany; if we purchase other stuff it will go to Taiwan, and none of it will help the American economy.

The idea is to keep that money here in America. The only way to keep that money here at home is to spend it at yard sales, since those are the only businesses still in the U.S.!"

Funny, but sadly too close to the truth.

If you just HAVE to spend that money, there are plenty of small businesses in America, many of them operated by families just like yours (and you should have one, too - we'll talk about that more in our program, coming soon). But the best thing you can do for your family is to use that money to get out of debt, or invest it for your future. Use it to start your Roth IRA (one of the best loopholes in the tax code). Whatever you do, don't fritter it away with nothing to show for it when it's gone.

Got Your Taxes Done?

Here's a simple last-minute reminder that your personal income tax return is due today!

If you're panicked about it, take a deep breath and relax. Although the filing deadline (when your income tax return needs to be postmarked) is midnight tonight, if you just can't get it sorted out by then, you can request an automatic extension of time to file, by printing and mailing Form 4868 instead. That will give you an automatic six-month extension of time in which to file your tax return, until October 15.

But if you file for an extension of time to file, you should be aware of several things:

An extension of time to file is NOT an extension of time to pay any taxes due. If you owe taxes that are not paid (or postmarked) by midnight tonight, you will owe interest and possibly penalties when you do file your return and pay them. If you owe additional taxes beyond those automatically withheld from your pay, or beyond the amount of your quarterly estimated tax payments, you should pay as much as you can by the deadline in order to avoid or lessen the amount of interest and penalties owed.

You will not receive your economic stimulus payment, if you qualify for one, until you file your tax return. So if you request an extension, don't be looking in your mailbox next month for a check from Uncle Sam.

And you obviously won't receive any refund due to you until you file your return. That's giving Uncle Sam free use of your money, so get your return filed as soon as you can, and put that money to work making money for you and your family. An extension till October 15 doesn't mean you should wait till October 14 to start working on your return! Go ahead and get it filed as soon as you can.

You should also be aware of several things you can do to speed up receipt of your refund and/or economic stimulus payment:

Filling a Hero's Uniform

By Gold Star Mom Debbie Lee

I began my morning with my normal routine of making a pot of coffee and turning on FOX news to see the day's issues. This morning President Bush was addressing this nation and remembering the sacrifices and the successes that this nation has experienced for the past five years since the War on Terror began in Iraq.

Site of Distinction Award

We were honored this morning to be selected a "Site of Distinction" by Veterans Advantage.

"We would like to honor you for your work honoring United States Servicemen and women and their families. Your efforts to help military families deal with all of the financial burdens are a great service to veterans, our troops and the nation."

Hillary's Deception is Nothing New

In 1974 (that's 34 years ago!), Hillary Clinton was fired from a position on the House Judiciary Committee investigating the Watergate break-in and seeking impeachment of President Nixon.

Why?

"Because she was a liar," according to her supervisor, the now-retired general counsel and chief of staff of the House Judiciary Committee, who supervised Hillary when she worked on the Watergate investigation. "She was an unethical, dishonest lawyer. She conspired to violate the Constitution, the rules of the House, the rules of the committee and the rules of confidentiality."

Thanks for US Troops from an Aussie

My son is in the Australian Army and he is currently on deployment in Iraq. . . .

My son and I just ended a long 'phone conversation and here are some of his comments . . .

"Before I came over here I thought we (the Australian Army) were pretty shit hot..... was I ever wrong!....The Yanks (I hope you don't mind me using that word) are so professional from the top to the bottom that it is almost embarrassing to be in their company, and to call yourself a soldier....

Don't get me wrong, we are good at what we do but the Yanks are

(For the rest of this amazing letter, click on the Permalink below, and scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you will find the headline above. And while you're there, please leave your own message of thanks for our troops.)

Express Your Thanks to General Petraeus

Sen. Mitch McConnell's site has a thank-you card you can sign to show your support for General Petraeus and all our men and women in uniform. Please take a minute to let the General know how much we appreciate the hard work he and all the men and women in uniform are doing to ensure our safety and that of our families. Thanks.

National Foreclosure Hotline

The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), the national non-profit counseling organization that operates 1-888-995-HOPE, to help homeowners remedy their mortgage problems and keep their homes, announces the addition of five more

Expanded Mortgage Help from FHA

The Bush Administration has just expanded the FHASecure program to help families facing home foreclosure. This will enable FHA to help more families refinance their homes to lower their payments as an alternative to foreclosure, even if they have missed as many as three house payments. To determine whether your family qualifies for this new program, click on the permalink below.

Hillary's List of Lies

With Hillary's recent whopper about "landing under sniper fire" on her visit to Bosnia and the welcoming ceremony at the airport being cancelled while they all "ran with their heads down," former Clinton advisor Dick Morris feels compelled once again to point out Hillary's history of lies, saying she "simply cannot tell the truth."

Video of her arrival in Bosnia clearly shows Hillary and Chelsea stepping off the plane and stopping to listen to a poem read by a young girl, as part of the "cancelled" welcoming ceremony. For a list of other "misrepresentations" or "mistakes" by Mrs. Clinton, click the permalink just below.

The Middle East Imperative

By Jimmy L. Cash, Brig. Gen., USAF, Ret.

. . . Let me try and put this conflict in proper perspective.

Understand, the current battle we are engaged in is much bigger than just Iraq. What happens in the next year will affect this country and how our kids and grandkids live throughout their lifetime, and beyond.

Radical Islam has been attacking the West since the seventh century. They

Bad Voodoo's War

In June 2007, as the American military surge reached its peak, a band of National Guard infantrymen who call themselves "The Bad Voodoo Platoon" was deployed to Iraq.

To capture a vivid, first-person account of the new realities of war in Iraq for FRONTLINE and ITVS, director Deborah Scranton (The War Tapes) created a "virtual embed" with the platoon, supplying cameras to the soldiers so they could record and tell the story of their war. The film intimately tracks the veteran soldiers of "Bad Voodoo" through the daily grind of their perilous mission, dodging deadly IEDs, grappling with the political complexities of dealing with Iraqi security forces, and battling their fatigue and their fears.

We Can't Afford "Change"!

You Ain't Gonna Like Losing!

Today, as we observe the fifth anniversary of the liberation of Iraq and America's continued involvement in securing freedom for an entire nation, Americans are divided over their support of the Administration's policies towards that conflict.

Across the country today, politicians are making speeches about Iraq, anti-war protesters are staging rallies in many cities, pro-troops groups are

Treason and Cowardice

Anti-Military Activists Increasingly Violent

Wake up, America! The bombing at the Times Square military recruiting office and the protests at the Berkeley, Ca, Marine recruiting office are not isolated incidents.

Attacks against our military personnel on American soil have increased to the point where military officials felt the need to issue a Force Protection Advisory warning American service members to watch their backs, at home!

Numerous anti-military protests have been announced for this week, on the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq. Protesters have gone far beyond the exercise of free speech, and are attacking troops and their property.

Free Tax Return Assistance is Available

With just more than a month left before the April 15 personal income tax filing deadline, we want to remind you that as a member of the military, you may be eligible to receive free assistance with the preparation and filing of your federal tax return.

The U.S. Armed Forces participate in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). Military-based VITA sites provide free tax advice, tax preparation, return filing and other tax assistance to military members and their families. The volunteers who provide assistance are trained to address military-specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits.

Spend Less -- 111 Easy Ways to Keep More of Your Money

My Dad always told me that one of the best ways to save money was to "spend less."

Somehow, that never held much appeal for me. But with the wisdom that comes with living life, I can confirm that, once again, "Father Knows Best."

We've compiled here a list of 111 Easy Ways to Keep More of The Money You Make, in several categories. It was supposed to be 101 Ways, but we just couldn't stop there. We're sure you'll think of some more.

Support the Anti-Berkeley Campaign

Have you heard about and want to support the TV ad that Move America Forward is running this week to tell the anti-military folks in Berkeley, California, that "We're just not gonna take it any more!"?

If you haven't yet seen the ad, you can do so by clicking on the Permalink below this entry - it will take you to a page on our site with the ad displayed.

If you'd like to make a contribution to ensure this ad gets the widest distribution possible, you can contribute online here.

Not the First Anti-Berkeley Boycott

Seems this is not the first time consumers have boycotted businesses in Berkeley, CA, due to the bone-headed anti-war actions of its City Council (and probably won't be the last).

In October of 2001, The Daily Californian reported:

"Berkeley has seen an economic backlash in the few days since the council approved a resolution calling for a stop to U.S. bombing in Afghanistan, with hundreds of people refusing to spend money in the city."

It went on to say, "A San Francisco man told city officials that he is organizing a boycott of Berkeley. He will soon begin to distribute hundreds of fliers at BART stations, which read, 'Boycott Berkeley - Support Our Troops - Let Berkeley sell their products to the Taliban.'

A software company already reported losing a $60,000 contract because of the council's anti-war resolution, Dean said. Additionally, she said that a number of restaurants have seen their clientele drop."

And some of the same members were on the Berkeley City Council THEN!

It's definitely going to take some heavy economic damage to the City before the City Council understands it has a responsibility to ALL its citizens, not just the anti-war beatniks.

Perhaps the businesses in Berkeley should sue the members of the City Council in their individual capacities for the losses to their business because of the illegal actions of the City Council (interfering with military recruitment is a federal offense).

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